LI unemployment, job losses rise in May

Long Island’s unemployment rate climbed again in May as the region continued to lose jobs for the eighth straight month.

The Island’s unemployment rate was 6.9 percent last month, according to the latest report from the New York State Department of Labor. That’s up from 6.7 percent in April, but still down from the 7.2 percent unemployment the area posted in March.

In the 12-month period ended in May, the Island shed 35,000 jobs, the highest amount since the recession began, and up from the 32,500 that were lost in the year ended in April.

The construction sector lost more than 10 percent of its workforce for the second straight month, contracting by 11.2 percent, or 8,400 jobs, in May.

The retail sector lost the second-highest number of jobs, shedding 7,200 in the 12 months ended in May.

As in previous months, the education and health care sector was the only industry to add jobs during the month, increasing 1.7 percent, or by 3,700 jobs.